Apparatus for the production of small spherical granules

Abstract

A mixer for delaminating, deagglomerating, mixing, and extruding a mixture of powder and liquid, which contains a mixing chamber, a variable speed rotating shaft disposed within the chamber, a multiplicity of stators extending from the interior wall of the chamber towards the shaft, and a multiplicity of differently configured auger blades connected to the shaft. The device contains a first, second, and third set of auger blades, each of which is connected to the shaft. The first set of augur blades has a pitch which is at least twice as great as the pitch of each of the second and third set of augur blades, and it also has a smaller face area.

I claim: 
     
       1. A mixer for delaminating, deagglomerating, mixing, and extruding a mixture of powder and liquid, wherein said mixer is comprised of a mixing chamber comprised of an exterior wall and an interior wall, a variable speed rotating shaft disposed within said interior wall of said mixing chamber, a multiplicity of stators connected to said interior wall of said mixing chamber and extending from said interior wall towards said variable speed rotating shaft, a multiplicity of first auger blades connected to said variable speed rotating shaft and extending from said variable speed rotating shaft towards said interior wall of said mixing chamber, a multiplicity of second auger blades connected to said variable speed rotating shaft and extending from said variable speed rotating shaft towards said interior wall of said mixing chamber, and a multiplicity of third auger blades connected to said variable speed rotating shaft and extending from said variable speed rotating shaft towards said interior wall of said mixing chamber, wherein: (a) said variable speed rotating shaft is comprised of a proximal section, a distal section, and an intermediate section disposed between said proximal section and said distal section;   (b) said first auger blades are connected to said proximal section of said variable speed rotating shaft, each of said first auger blades has a pitch which is at least twice as great as the pitch of each of said second auger blades, each of said first auger blades has a first face area, each of said second auger blades has a second face area, each of said third auger blades has a third face area and each of said first face areas is smaller than each of said second face areas and each of said third face areas;   (c) said second auger blades are connected to said intermediate section of said variable speed rotating shaft, wherein at least one of said second auger blades is disposed at a distance of less than about 4 millimeters from at least one of said stators; and   (d) said third auger blades are connected to said distal section of said variable speed rotating shaft.